1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a trigger handle operated valve for combining a flow of liquid such as pressurized water with a flow of gas such as pressurized air for discharge through a nozzle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a handle operated flow control valve unit that has aligned first and second valve stems, with the first valve stem being movable in response to handle movement within a first range of motion to establish a controlled flow of a first fluid such as pressurized water, and with the second valve stem being moved by the first valve stem in response to handle movement within a second range of motion to add a flow of a second fluid such as pressurized air to provide a desirably enhanced discharge.
2. Prior Art
Handle operated flow control valves having generally L-shaped bodies that mount spring-biased valve stems for selectively communicating inlet and outlet passages in response to movements of trigger-shaped operating handles are known. Exemplary valves of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,072,555, 2,293,390, 3,632,046, 3,711,028, 3,727,841, 3,756,273, 4,035,004 and 4,449,696 (referred to hereinafter as the "Flow Control Valve Patents"), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Handle operated flow control valves that employ body-carried wire-formed rings to embrace and releasably retain operating handles in "operated" positions are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,072,555 and 2,293,390. The use of body-carried wire-formed rings both for releasably retaining a handle in an "operated" position and for hanging the valve body from an external support is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,696.
Handle operated flow control valves that employ reversible, interiorly threaded discharge nozzles for selectively presenting concave and convex screens to cause discharging flows to diverge as a gentle spray or to converge as a forceful single stream are known. Exemplary valves of this type are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,072,555 and 3,711,028.
While the majority of the patents identified above disclose the use of generally L-shaped bodies that have plug-closed openings through which valve components such as valve stems and springs are installed during assembly of the valves, the use of such an assembly opening to provide an inlet for fluid such as pressurized air is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,004. Other uses to which such assembly openings can be put, for example to mount a pressure gauge, are depicted in Design U.S. Pat. Nos. 308,094 and 318,316, the disclosures of which also are incorporated herein by reference.
A need that is not satisfactorily addressed by the prior art is the provision of a handle operated flow control valve that provides a "single/dual" capability for being used either to provide a controlled discharge of only a single fluid such as pressurized water, or to provide a controlled combined discharge of two fluids that are introduced into the valve body through separate inlets, such as pressurized water and pressurized air. Nor does the prior art satisfactorily address the need that exists for a single/dual flow control valve that permits, by selective manipulation of a single operating handle, the selection of a controlled discharge of a single fluid such as pressurized water, or the combined discharge of a two fluids such as pressurized water and pressurized air.